Abstract:
This thesis aims at defragmenting what the interstate system has fragmented throughout the United States.
It explores the history of the freeways across the United States and takes an in depth look at Detroit, Michigan and the disinvestment of downtown over time. It looks at the Edge Cities and their rise, as well as their effects on the core city. This thesis also explores the ‘Malling of America’ and how the idea of a suburban mall came to be and urban planning during the 1800 and 1900s.
It focused on three sites - the first in the city, where the freeway has fragmented the urban fabric. The second in the edge, where a mix of habitats have been fragmented and the last site, the ‘out there’, where freeways have fragmented large swaths of farmland that were previously disconnected.